Newsom Scolds OC Beach Cities For Staying Open Amid Coronavirus

NEWPORT BEACH, CA —State officials say there was too much activity and not enough social distancing at Orange County beaches over the weekend. After a slam by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday for violating the state's stay-at-home order during the COVID-19 pandemic, the OC Board of Supervisors and beach cities look to halting seaside activities until further notice.

Orange County's 3.2 million person population has 2,126 coronavirus patients. 26,347 residents have been tested for coronavirus, and 39 people have died as a result of the disease, as of Monday.

In Orange County, the city of Santa Ana has been the hardest hit during the pandemic, with 306 residents ill from the virus, and Anaheim at a close second with 289 residents affected by the virus.

Two heavily populated Orange County beach cities have some of the greatest numbers of coronavirus in Orange County, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency reports. Huntington Beach, with a population of 203,761, has the highest number of coronavirus cases, with 183 as of Monday afternoon. Newport Beach, with a population of 87,180, has 96 residents ill with coronavirus.

Other beach towns of Seal Beach, with a population of 25,073 has 11 cases of coronavirus within their city limits. Laguna Beach, with 23,358 residents has 36 ill from the virus. San Clemente, with 65,405 residents has 45 cases of coronavirus and at least one resident has died from the disease. In Dana Point, there are 34,249 residents and 22 of them are ill from the virus.

While percentages vary across the board, cities who have upheld more strict social distancing policies and practices, have managed to hold their coronavirus exposure numbers for at least a week since mask restrictions were put into place.

While Patch is aware that coronavirus patients have returned home from the hospital after battling the virus, Orange County Health Care Agency has not yet released patient recovery statistics as of this report.

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Newport Beach City Council members planned to meet Monday as to whether to close beaches for the next few weekends. The move may prompt Huntington Beach to follow suit.

The move to close Newport Beach's shorelines came as soaring temperatures encouraged throngs of beachgoers to converge in that city and Huntington Beach this past weekend. Options for beachgoers have shriveled as Los Angeles, and San Diego counties and Laguna Beach closed off shoreline access. Further south in San Clemente, the city reopened its beaches, ocean water, and the Beach Trail for "active use only." Discussions about opening the pier were underway.

"To reduce overcrowding, the City is requesting that non-residents abide by the Governor's stay at home orders, due to limited parking availability in San Clemente," the city reported. "For those visiting the beach, please be advised of the following regulations for use while observing limited use of all beachfront."

In San Clemente, it is permitted to do physical activity with your household group, to walk, run or jog on shore or to swim, surf, bodyboard, skim board or kayak out in the water.

"Any physical activity which keeps individuals in a non-stationary, active motion," the city described. It is not permitted, as of yet, to gather in groups of ten or more, picnic, make a beach camp, set up chairs, lay on towels or blankets. Volleyball on the beach is closed, as are picnic pavilions and palapas, and barbecue and fire rings.

It isn't the summer of their dreams, but San Clemente is making it work, they say.

On Monday, Gov. Newsom criticized all of the Orange County beach towns who allowed beaches to remain open for any type of activity.

He warned that large gatherings would slow the state's efforts to reopen businesses and relax stay-at-home orders.

"Those images are an example of what not to see, ... what not to do if we're going to make the meaningful progress that we've made in the last few weeks extend into the next number of weeks," Newsom said. "The reality is we are just a few weeks away, not months away, from making measurable and meaningful changes to our stay-at-home order.

"That is a very optimistic point to emphasize, however, that's driven by data. That's driven by behavior. And as we change our behavior, we can impact the science, the health, and the data. This virus doesn't take the weekends off. This virus doesn't go home because it's a beautiful sunny day around our coasts."

Newport Beach City Council members will meet Tuesday afternoon to discuss whether to close their beaches for the next three weekends. A city spokesman said City Council members would not be made available for comment beforehand, and some council members did not respond to requests for an interview on Monday.

If Newport Beach decides to go ahead and close the city's beaches, it could have a domino effect on Huntington Beach.

"If Newport Beach closes all of its beaches and that crowd decides to come here we'll have to make some serious decisions to make sure that doesn't happen," said Huntington Beach Fire Battalion Chief Eric McCoy.

Meanwhile, Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett shared concerns that the shutdown of beaches in the north county will spur beachgoers into the beaches in Dana Point, San Clemente, and San Juan Capistrano.

Bartlett suggested approving something similar to San Diego, where joggers, bikers, and strollers are welcome, but shooing sunbathers away, as San Clemente is doing.

"We could keep our beaches open, but allow for people to recreate, walk, jogging and running on the beach, but keep moving," Bartlett said.

Last week, upon prompting from Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen, Bartlett proposed closing the beaches for the next few weeks, but her motion died for lack of a second.

Supervisor Andrew Do said Bartlett's proposal would be too difficult to enforce, and the issue died without support.

Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel told reporters Monday afternoon that she thought beachgoers were "properly social distancing... In the city of Huntington Beach, people who came to the beach kept their distance from each other."

Steel said, "It's important to take care of our mental health as well. We want our neighbors to get exercise. This plays a big role in mental health, which is why we encourage our residents to spend time outside safely. Their local beaches are an ideal place to do so."

OC Parks Director Stacy Blackwood said the county controls 16 percent of the shoreline.

Blackwood said the turnout was "pretty typical of what we see in summer weekends." She estimated it at about 6,000 people during peak hours across the major beaches.

Dr. Nichole Quick, the county's health officer, encouraged residents to get outside and enjoy recreation in their general neighborhood. "Mass gatherings are not allowed under the governor's orders," she said. Quick encouraged family outings, but added, "If you need a car to reach a place...then you're going too far."

Laguna Beach last month voted to close its beaches. The county has also closed parking lots to the beaches to help curtail crowds, but it has caused parking problems in some neighborhoods around the beaches, Laguna Beach police Sgt. Jim Cota said.

As the coastal commission commands, there must be access to certain beaches. Laguna Beach has pledged to keep strict enforcement in place during this pandemic.

City News Service, Patch editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.

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